'Bushiri owes me R850 000'

Johannesburg - Self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri is being hauled to court over non-payment of nearly a million rand to a company contracted to his Enlightened Christian Gathering church.

A Pretoria businesswoman has served the prophet in Bushiri's church and was popularly known as Major One. She had a verbal agreement with the Enlightened Christian Gathering to provide transport services in exchange for money. Though she rendered services, she has not received all her remuneration.

In papers filed in the North Gauteng High Court, the woman says she provided services for the church choir to travel from the Pretoria Showgrounds to FNB Stadium, and Sparkling Waters, Rustenburg, in December 2016 and May 2017 respectively. For these trips, the church hired 81 65-seater buses at a cost of R624 400. The church paid only R223 900.

In another trip to Rustenburg in June this year, the church paid R100 000, falling short of R445 000. The church has paid only R323 900 and still owes her R849 500.

In court papers she demands that Enlightened Christian Gathering fork out the R849 500 due to her and an additional 10.5% interest per year and her legal costs.

Earlier this month, Bushiri had to repay a member of his church R100 000 after he and many others had invested in the Stewardship Wealth Creation Project - a scheme that Bushiri promised would grow one's investment to R597 000.